10,000 people evacuated from the Community of Madrid due to forest fires

Published at: 23/07/2026 11:07 PM

10,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires affecting different areas of the Madrid region this Thursday, the Community of Madrid said. The evicted are inhabitants of the Madrid towns of Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeglesias, Pelayos de la Presa and Aldea del Fresno.

International media highlight that the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has declared tonight, Thursday, July 23, an emergency of national interest in the territory of the Community of Madrid and in the province of Ávila, Castilla y León due to the evolution of the forest fires declared in Villa del Prado, San Martín de Valdeglesias and Burgohondo.

As a result of this declaration, Marlaska will assume the direction and coordination of the necessary actions against fires and the management of all state, regional and local resources that must be used in these two communities, in accordance with the provisions of Law 17/2015, of July 9, on the National Civil Protection System.

The EFE agency points out that in the face of imminent risk, civil protection systems issue mass alerts to residents' mobile phones to order immediate evacuations to safe urban areas.

The national health network reinforces its healthcare capacities and coordinates with all hospitals and health centers to ensure a timely medical response to possible smoke poisoning and burns.

Meanwhile, security forces are constantly monitoring the threat of flames reaching new populated areas.